Charlie & Calvin

Danielle Anderson didn’t grow up in a loving family, and she wanted to give her sons everything she didn’t have as a child. But it wasn’t working out that way as she found herself adjusting to life as a newly single parent and growing uncomfortable with the quality of her sons’ in-home daycare. Above all else, Danielle wanted Charlie, 15 months, and Calvin, 10 weeks, to spend their days in the best care possible.

“I was really struggling at that point in my life and it was so important to know that my kids were in a safe, learning, nurturing environment,” she says.

The Jordan Center had a reputation for the quality Anderson wanted, but she knew it had a waiting list for infant and toddler classrooms. Still, she gave a two-week notice at her kids’ daycare and took a Jordan Center tour. “I loved the atmosphere, the security, everything,” she says. “So, I just kept calling every other day and praying that God would make a way.”

Her persistence paid off when staff found space for the boys shortly after her visit. It turned out to be a blessing for her family, she says. But at the time, Charlie wasn’t as sure. The move was yet another unsettling change in his life, and he struggled in the new classroom and at home.

Danielle turned for help at the Jordan Center and soon realized the depth of its commitment to families. Teachers showed her strategies for managing Charlie’s difficult behaviors. They coached her in ways to stabilize the boys’ schedules. When her car broke down, Jordan Center staff sent a bus for school pickup and drop-off. When she couldn’t afford Christmas last year, they sent gifts for the boys.

Life is better now for the family. Danielle has moved to a new townhome and bought a reliable car. Charlie eased into kindergarten and Calvin joined the Jordan Center’s N.C. Pre-Kindergarten Program class.

“I want to give my boys everything I didn’t have,” Danielle says. “The Jordan Center has helped me do that. The staff has given me security and hope when I needed it most.”